The University of Colorado Denver has a new chancellor.
University of Colorado president Todd Saliman announced Thursday that Kenneth T. Christensen would lead the institution beginning Feb. 1. Christensen has served as provost, senior vice president for academic affairs and chief academic officer at the Illinois Institute of Technology.
“Dr. Christensen brings a deep commitment to CU Denver’s mission and student success as well as an impressive understanding of higher education’s ability to transform individual lives, our great state, the nation and the world,” said Saliman.
Christensen will replace interim chancellor Ann Schmiesing who was former vice chancellor for academic resource management for CU Boulder. She replaced Michelle Marks who announced in July she was stepping down to spend more time with her family. Schmiesing will return to the Boulder campus.
Saliman said he was impressed by Christensen’s record and that he received strong support from CU Denver faculty, staff, students and community members following his campus visit and open forums.
Bucking national trends, Christensen oversaw a sharp increase in enrollment at Illinois Tech — a 35 percent year-over-year increase in fall 2024. That followed a three-year period of growth.
University of Colorado officials say Christensen built a diverse leadership team that emphasized shared governance with faculty. His tenure included launching academic initiatives that emphasize workforce readiness and introducing a pathway for undecided students to explore degree possibilities.
Christensen, who has a Hispanic heritage, co-led Illinois Tech’s path to Hispanic-Serving Institution status and became a founding member of a regional research consortium. He has been a professor in the departments of mechanical, materials and aerospace engineering and civil, architectural and environmental engineering at Illinois Tech.
Over the past several years, CU Denver, which has about 15,000 students, has been focused on a 2030 Strategic plan that includes eliminating equity gaps, making more inclusive classrooms and becoming a center of innovation. It has been hobbled, however, by declining enrollment, down 1.7 percent from fall 2023 to fall 2024. It has also faced budget deficits.
CU Denver has 1,900 employees and an annual economic impact to the state of $684 million.
The national search for a CU Denver chancellor launched in August 2024.
